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Port reopens Indianola Dock

By Tristan Baurick

Wednesday, September 11, 2013

INDIANOLA People strolled Indianolas popular wooden pier Tuesday evening,

talking with friends at the piers entrance, watching the sunset at mid-span and fishing

from its deep-water end.

The pier wasnt open, but it soon would be, with the Port of Indianola deciding a

half-hour later to make official what Indianolans had unofficially decided every time

they tore down the piers barricades.

The dock was technically closed three months ago, newly-sworn-in port

Commissioner Eric Cookson said. It hasnt really stopped anyone from using it.

Cookson joined commission Chairman Jeff Henderson in voting to reopen the

900-foot-long wooden pier, known locally as Indianola Dock. As a precaution, they

stipulated that large gatherings would need port permission before using the pier.

Many of the 80 people at the port meeting stood to applaud the decision.

Nice job! yelled a man, followed by another round of applause.

The commission closed the pier in late June over concerns that it could topple if toomany people used it at one time. The closure caused an eruption of anger and protest.

Two port commissioners resigned over what they said was growing harassment and

intimidation from residents who opposed the closure.

The community was just torn apart, said Henderson, who initially supported the

closure. Honestly, I thought, what can we do to bring us to a common goal?

That goal is to get the pier in better shape. The first step, Henderson said, is to get a

clear idea of the piers condition. An engineers assessment of the creosote-treated

pilings is set to begin Thursday and should be completed in mid-October.

We could close it again, certainly, Cookson said. But right now, it just doesnt make

sense.

Cookson said the port had no way to enforce the closure, and local law enforcement

agencies made little or no effort to keep people off the pier.

The barricade had become a greater danger than the pier itself, he said. Young people

regularly climbed around it, putting themselves at risk for falls.

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The commissioners weren t clear how many people will be able to use the pier at one

time. Henderson said he would likely not give permission for a wedding or other

organized events.

Fifty or 60 people? Id say no, Henderson said. But if I say that, someones going to

call me say, But Jeff, its just 49 people. It might come down to just how Eric and I feel

that day, until we get some (safety) data.

Paying for the piers fixes will be another focus for the port. A proposed tax hike

scheduled for Novembers ballot would increase by 8 cents the ports current 15-cent

tax on each $1,000 of assessed property value.

The commission will work with a volunteer port committee to drum up additional money

through various fundraisers.

Also on the commissions to-do list is to appoint a third commissioner to replace Joan

Wald, who resigned last month. The new appointee will serve until a new commissioner

is selected by voters in November.

Cookson was appointed to the port commission by the Kitsap County leaders last

week. The county had to step in because Henderson the remaining port

commissioner cannot legally make port decisions alone. Cookson replaces Judith

Frank, who resigned in late July.

2013 Scripps Newspaper Group Online

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